I Must Have Done Something Good
by mysticgirl916
Summary: Will encourages Emma to audition with him for a community production of "The Sound of Music".  Set during the summer between S2 and S3
1. Summer Plans

After Will had dismissed the glee club for the summer having celebrated surviving their first nationals and placing in the top twelve, he stayed behind in the empty choir room picking up the empty paper cups that littered the floor near where the kids usually sat, the remnants of an impromptu party that had taken place. When he got back to Lima from New York, he had called April Rhodes to officially tell her that he would not be joining her on Broadway after all, saying that being with New Directions was the most important thing to him at that moment. April had understood, even she knew how much the club meant to him – he was the one that had helped her turn her life around.

"One more thing, sugar," she had told him, "tell Emma I said hello. She's a lucky girl to have someone like you in her life." Had she always known that? Nonetheless, she was right – Emma was indeed the love of Will's life and always had been since he met her.

* * *

><p>"So, what are your plans for the summer?" Will asked Emma as they spent some time together in the faculty lounge later that day. The guidance counselor was so certain that he was going to be living out his dream performing his heart out on Broadway alongside April that she was actually surprised to see him back at McKinley High. He had told her the truth upon his return – that he did get to live out his dream of singing on a Broadway stage, but his real passion was being the coach of the glee club. She understood, and had surprised him with the banner that had been hung in the school hallway.<p>

"I'm probably going to continue seeing my therapist," she replied, "perhaps take some long walks in the park, the usual I guess. How about you, now that you're going to be here for a while?"

"I guess the first thing I have to do," said Will, "is get my apartment back in order. I managed to get the stuff I was bringing with me to New York back, which would mean the rest that I sorted out with you before I left can be taken out of storage. After that, probably do my monthly visits with the kids at the hospital and think of some new ideas for glee club next year." Thankfully, nobody was able to rent out his apartment during that time, so he was able to regain ownership and had turned Terri's old craft room into an office/relaxation room which could easily turn into a guest bedroom thanks to the new futon he had bought.

"So April wasn't mad that you decided not to be in her show?" asked Emma.

"She wasn't upset at all," Will answered. "Even from that first invitational the kids did as a group a while ago, she knew how much glee club meant to me. She was the reason I joined back in my days as a student and now we're strictly friends – platonic of course. She told me after I came home that you're lucky to have a guy like me in your life." Emma blushed slightly and looked at the peanut butter and jelly sandwich in front of her. Maybe April was right, if it wasn't for Will she wouldn't have found the courage to seek help for her OCD problems.

"Hey guys," said Shannon Beiste as she joined their table, "it's been quite a year, hasn't it? The football team actually winning for once, the glee club making it to nationals and everything in between. I'll probably be doing some summer training with the team, they said they're up to it. Anything to give us an edge, right?" Certainly, with Shannon at the helm the Titans had won the state championship – something that Ken Tanaka could never do during his tenure. It felt good to know that there was someone who actually knew the game steering the team in the right direction.

"Oh Will, forgot to tell you," she said, handing him a flyer. "I was downtown the other day and I found this flyer on the bulletin board at the community center, the local theater is holding open auditions for a limited-run community production of _The Sound of Music_. When I saw that, I immediately thought of you – you should go for it. At least it will give you some more things to do over the summer if you land a part, believe it or not it's one of my favorite musicals. And we all know that you're an amazing singer, of course." Scanning the flyer quickly, Will smiled.

"Shannon, I didn't know you were a Rodgers and Hammerstein fan," he said. "How come you never told me?"

"It's one of my favorite movie musicals of all time," Shannon admitted.

"Mine too," added Emma, "my mom said to me a long time ago that there are times I'm as kind as Maria is in the story." She started to hum one of the songs out loud, which gave Will an idea.

"Em, I was thinking," he said. "I am definitely going to try out for the show, how about you come audition with me? Imagine if we both got parts, it would be a lot of fun. And I'm sure we could fit in our other things around the rehearsal schedules. What do you say?" It may not be Broadway, but at least from Will's perspective it would still be a way for him to perform, especially some of the most iconic music ever written.

"I think I will give the auditions a try," Emma said, "what have I got to lose? It would be great if we could both get a part, but if you get one and I don't, I promise that I will be in the front row cheering you on. I bet Shannon and perhaps the glee kids would do the same thing." Smiling at both Will and Shannon, she was happy she had made up her mind about trying out for the show. He glanced at the flyer one more time, there would be two parts to the audition for the adult roles – an acting part where one guy and one girl would be paired up at random to perform a scene from the show, as well as a singing part where all the people trying out would each do a solo song of their choosing. Those trying out for the roles of the children would only have to do the singing audition.

"I think I know what I'm going to sing for my audition," Will said. "How about you, Em?"

"I'll figure that out before the day of the tryouts, I guess," Emma replied.


	2. I Have Confidence

"How are you feeling, Em?" Will asked as the two entered the auditorium of the Crouse Performance Hall downtown where the auditions for the musical would be taking place. A lot of people from adults to children had shown up already, some filling out forms while others were rehearsing their songs or doing vocal warm-ups. With a possible talent pool this large, it was certainly going to take a huge effort to find the best people to fill all the main roles. Emma wished that Shannon could also be with them for moral support.

"I'm feeling okay, a little nervous though," Emma replied as she began to fill out her audition form. "I've never actually performed on stage before aside from dance recitals when I was a little girl, but nothing as big as this. You on the other hand Will, I think you're going to be a shoo-in for a huge part." She knew her best friend well, she knew how talented he was. She watched as he finished filling out his own form and went down to hand it in to a person sitting at a table near the front of the stage. When he came back, he sat back down next to Emma.

"What you need," he said, "is a little confidence in yourself." At that moment, Emma knew what song she was going to sing for her audition.

* * *

><p>"Can I have your attention please?" said a man standing on the stage, and the assembled group quieted down. "Thank you. My name is Paul Chapman, and I will be the director of this production. First of all, I want to say thank you for coming to audition and supporting the arts in our city, I hope this will be a rewarding experience for all of you whether or not you are selected to be part of our cast. Now, let's get started, we'll begin with the adult vocal auditions followed by the children's auditions and finish up with the adult acting tryouts. When I call your name, please come up on stage and sing the song that you have prepared either acapella, with a backing track, your own accompaniment or our pianist Brian." The person who had collected the audition forms handed the stack marked "Adults" handed them over to the director. He called the first name, and a young woman came up on stage and handed her sheet music to the pianist before beginning to sing.<p>

"She's good," Emma said, listening to the woman sing an upbeat contemporary song. "What do you think, Will?"

"She's decent," he replied. "Though she's a bit under pitch." Emma knew Will knew this kind of thing because he directed the glee club and knew what a good voice sounded like. After the woman finished, the other people trying out applauded politely. A few more followed, and then Paul called out the next name.

"Emma Pillsbury," he said.

* * *

><p>"Go get them, Em," Will said as Emma made her way down the aisle and up to the stage. She told the pianist what her song was, and she heard him start to play. Taking a deep breath, she started singing.<p>

_What will this day be like? I wonder.  
>What will my future be? I wonder.<br>It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free  
>My heart should be wildly rejoicing<br>Oh, what's the matter with me?_

_I've always longed for adventure_  
><em>To do the things I've never dared<em>  
><em>And here I'm facing adventure<em>  
><em>Then why am I so scared<em>

_A captain with seven children_  
><em>What's so fearsome about that?<em>

_Oh, I must stop these doubts, all these worries_  
><em>If I don't I just know I'll turn back<em>  
><em>I must dream of the things I am seeking<em>  
><em>I am seeking the courage I lack<em>

_The courage to serve them with reliance_  
><em>Face my mistakes without defiance<em>  
><em>Show them I'm worthy<em>  
><em>And while I show them<em>  
><em>I'll show me<em>

_So, let them bring on all their problems_  
><em>I'll do better than my best<em>  
><em>I have confidence they'll put me to the test<em>  
><em>But I'll make them see I have confidence in me<em>

_Somehow I will impress them_  
><em>I will be firm but kind<em>  
><em>And all those children (Heaven bless them!)<em>  
><em>They will look up to me<em>

_And mind me with each step I am more certain_  
><em>Everything will turn out fine<em>  
><em>I have confidence the world can all be mine<em>  
><em>They'll have to agree I have confidence in me<em>

_I have confidence in sunshine_  
><em>I have confidence in rain<em>  
><em>I have confidence that spring will come again<em>  
><em>Besides which you see I have confidence in me<em>

_Strength doesn't lie in numbers_  
><em>Strength doesn't lie in wealth<em>  
><em>Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers<em>  
><em>When you wake up - Wake Up!<em>

_It tells me all I trust I lead my heart to_  
><em>All I trust becomes my own<em>  
><em>I have confidence in confidence alone...<em>  
><em>(Oh help!)<em>

_I have confidence in confidence alone_  
><em>Besides which you see I have confidence in me!<em>

The auditorium erupted in loud applause when she finished, and she heard Will cheering the loudest. Smiling, she walked off the stage and back to her section. She felt her friend's arms around her as he hugged her in congratulations. At the front of the stage, the director and the production team sat at the table and whispered amongst one another.

"That was fantastic, Emma," he said with a smile, "you sounded terrific up there! How did you manage to find that confidence so fast?"

"You, of course," she replied, "when you told me that all I needed was a little confidence in myself. That's when I came up with the idea to sing the song. It was as if all the nervousness went away just like that. I hope I do as well at the acting as I did with the singing though."

* * *

><p>"Will Schuester," the director called out almost fifteen minutes later after several more people performed. Emma gave his hand a squeeze and he walked over towards the stage. Noticing a guitar nearby, he picked it up and made sure it was tuned properly. Satisfied, he looked towards the people sitting at the table.<p>

"Go ahead," said the director, which was Will's cue to start playing. He played a simple introduction before starting to sing, his pure tenor voice filling the room.

_Edelweiss, Edelweiss  
>Every morning you greet me<br>Small and white, clean and bright  
>You look happy to meet me<em>

_Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow_  
><em>Bloom and grow forever<em>

_Edelweiss, Edelweiss_  
><em>Bless my homeland forever<em>

He played and sang the song through one more time, making it sound longer like it did in the movie version. When he finished, the auditorium burst into thunderous applause. The director and his team watched as Will went back to his seat, Emma hugging him warmly.

"I think," the director said in hushed tones, "that we may have a strong candidate for the male lead. What do you think?"

"He certainly has an amazing singing voice," the woman sitting next to him admitted. "We'll have to see how well he does in the acting audition, both him and his companion." The director then called another name, continuing the auditions.


	3. Role Of A Lifetime

Right after the vocal auditions wrapped up, only the adults were invited to stay for the second part of the tryouts for the show, which would be the acting audition, so the children trying out left soon after. Both Emma and Will thought that they had done well in the vocal performance portion, and hopefully the production team agreed. Will was busy sending a text message to Shannon, telling her that they were now doing part two of the auditions and the singing had gone great. The remaining adults quieted down as Paul, the director, spoke to them.

"Now we're going to move on to the acting portion of the auditions, which will let myself and the rest of the production team get a sense as to who would be right for each part when we also factor in the vocal auditions," he said as two people distributed script excerpts to everyone. "Each of you will now have excerpts from the show script, which for this production we will draw heavily from the 1965 film version. The excerpts are marked 1, 2, 3 and 4, I will be giving you the scene number when you come up on stage. Now, I will be calling pairs of one man and one woman at random, so if you came with a close friend or partner, you might be paired with someone else. So, let's get started. First up, would Emily Martin and Evan Grant please come up and do scene number 2." The two people who were called came up on stage and read the scene where Liesl sneaks out to meet with Rolf in the gazebo. They were pretty good, Emma and Will heard both their vocal auditions and Will thought that both the singing and acting parts were exceptionally done.

What scene do you hope you'll get, Emma?" Will whispered as he scanned the pages of the script parts he had been given.

"Hopefully scene 1, when Maria first meets the Captain," she replied. "How about you?"

"I think scene 4," said Will, "the confrontation between the Captain and Maria before they hear the children singing for the Baroness. Sounds like a good one."

"Well, if you can act as well as you can sing," said a lady on Will's other side, "then I definitely think you could get one of the big roles. Your solo was beautiful."

"Thank you very much," said Will.

* * *

><p>"Will Schuester and Sarah Thomas," the director called after seven pairs before them did their scenes. "I'd like you to do scene number 4, the confrontation scene." Will had hoped to get this scene, so he turned to face his partner at center stage. The director gave the cue to start.<p>

"_**I know you don't, but you've got to! Liesl's not a child." **_Sarah read before looking directly at Will.

"_Not one word,"_ said Will, changing the tone in his voice.

"_**Soon she'll be a woman and you won't even know her. Friedrich wants to be a man but you're not here to show..."**_

"_Don't you dare tell me..."_

"_**Brigitta could tell you about him. She notices everything. Kurt acts tough to hide the pain when you ignore him... the way you do all of them. Louisa, I don't know about yet. The little ones just want love. Please, love them all!"**_

"_I don't care to hear more!" _Will read.

"_**I am not finished yet, captain!"**_ Sarah continued before Will finished the scene in the same tone of voice he had used that day when he found out Terri had lied about being pregnant.

"_Oh, yes, you are, captain!"_ The rest of the auditioning adults applauded wildly.

"Well done, both of you," said the director. Will shook Sarah's hand to thank her for doing the scene with him and went back to his seat. Throughout the whole thing, Emma was smiling.

* * *

><p>Eight pairs after Will and Sarah did their audition scene, the director called Emma to the stage along with a young man named Jake, the producer giving each of them a whistle. Will gave her a thumbs-up and hoped she got the scene she wanted to do. Sure enough, the director had asked them to do scene 1, so all Emma had to do now was to give it her best shot.<p>

"_**Now, when I want you, this is what you will hear," **_Jake read, then put the whistle to his lips and blew a pattern on it.

"_Oh, no, sir. I'm sorry, sir. I could never answer to a whistle. Whistles are for dogs and cats and other animals, but not for children and definitely not for me. It would be too... humiliating," _read Emma with a hint of sincerity.

"_**Fraulein, were you this much trouble at the Abbey?"**_

"_Oh, much more, sir."_

"_**Hmm," **_Jake read before turning to walk away. Emma blew her whistle to get his attention, and he turned back to face her.

"_Excuse me, sir. I don't know your signal."_

"_**You can call me... Captain."**_ With that, the scene ended to loud applause.

"Nicely done, thank you," said the director, and Emma went back to her seat.

"Emma, that was very well done," said Will. "You were terrific. If you don't get a part, then it will feel like a slushie to the face all over again." He had actually taken twelve slushies to the face once, but only because he asked for it and took it in good humor.

"I absolutely think they would be crazy not to cast you as the male lead," Emma confessed. "Sure I know that you're an incredibly gifted singer, but the way you acted that scene left me speechless." After all the adults had finished, the director addressed them once more.

"Thank you very much for coming once again," he said. "All of you did exceptionally well in both the singing and acting portions, and it's going to give us a lot to think about. In the next few days, we will make our final decisions, and the final cast list will be posted at the end of the week in the auditorium lobby along with the full rehearsal and performance schedule. I wish you all the very best of luck, and even if you don't get a part I hope you will come and see the production." With that, the group was dismissed. Getting up from their seats, Emma stretched her arms while Will fished in his jacket pocket for his sunglasses.

"Want to go get something to eat at Breadstix?" Will suggested. "All that auditioning has really made me hungry."

"I'd love to," replied Emma, and together they left the auditorium.

* * *

><p>Days later, the two returned to the civic center where a large crowd of people were gathered around a bulletin board in the lobby. True to the director's word, the cast list for the show had been posted along with a full schedule of rehearsals and performances, and they could hear some people cheering the fact that they had gotten a part in the production.<p>

"I told my therapist yesterday that I auditioned," said Emma, "she seemed pretty happy for me. She said if I got a part, she would definitely come see the show."

"That's great, Em," said Will, "I'm glad to hear that you've been making great progress. Now, let's go see if either of us made it." Taking her hand, they walked closer to the crowd standing around the bulletin board.

"Oh wow, I made the ensemble!" exclaimed one person near them. Another person didn't see his name on the list, but was happy that he had a good time trying out. Will managed to get closer to the board and started from the bottom of the list working his way up. He saw that his scene partner Sarah had gotten the part of Sister Margaretta, then continued to scan the list. He found his name near the top of the list and smiled, his eyes growing wide with excitement when he saw the name at the very top and rushed out of the mob to find Emma.

"Em, I made it," he said excitedly, "I'm playing Captain Von Trapp!" Emma smiled, even she knew he would get that part – both his singing and his acting auditions were phenomenal. She gave her friend a huge hug.

"That's terrific Will, I knew you'd get it," she said. "I guess the Captain now needs his leading lady. Did you see who got the part of Maria?"

"Go and see for yourself," Will replied, still smiling, and he watched as she braved the crowd. A few people let her pass until she stood at the bulletin board looking up at the list. All of a sudden, her hands flew to her mouth as she saw who would be playing opposite her best friend.

_Maria: Emma Pillsbury_


	4. Guitar Lessons

_Principal cast list for the  
>Lima Community Theater production of<em>  
>"<em>The Sound Of Music"<em>

_Directed by: Paul Chapman_

_**Maria:**__ Emma Pillsbury**  
>Captain Von Trapp:<strong>__ Will Schuester**  
>Baroness Schraeder:<strong>__ Kathryn Ellis**  
>Max Dettweiler:<strong>__ David Martin**  
>Mother Abbess:<strong>__ Patricia Everett**  
>Sister Margaretta:<strong>__ Sarah Thomas**  
>Sister Berthe:<strong>__ Marie Preston**  
>Sister Sophia:<strong>__ Elena Martinez**  
>Rolf:<strong>__ Kyle Jacobs**  
>Herr Zeller:<strong>__ Christopher Emery_

_**Liesl:**__ Sierra McCarthy**  
>Friedrich:<strong>__ Jason Brown**  
>Louisa:<strong>__ Natasha Lang**  
>Kurt:<strong>__ Brandon Miller**  
>Brigitta:<strong>__ Jennifer Lane**  
>Marta: <strong>__Melissa Anderson**  
>Gretl:<strong>__ Caitlyn Wescott_

* * *

><p>It was the day after the cast list had been posted for the musical, and Emma was still in a state of shock as she walked down the hallway towards Will's apartment. Never had she thought since her audition that she would not only be performing the lead role in one of the most iconic musicals of all time, but she would be performing opposite the man who was her co-worker at school as well as her best friend. She wondered if the experience would help them grow closer as she had been separated from Carl for several months and Will had been divorced for over a year – she was sure it would be worth it and make their bond of friendship even stronger.<p>

_Has there ever been a Maria with red hair? _Emma thought.

Stopping at Will's door, she heard music coming from inside the apartment – probably Will was practicing his guitar. Emma knocked on the door and the music stopped, then footsteps. The door opened seconds later and he stood in the doorway dressed in gray track pants and a red McKinley High T-shirt. She looked down at her own outfit: a cute floral-print skirt, a white tank top and black ballet flats.

"You look cute today, Em," said Will with a small smile, "I'm glad you could make it. Come on in." Emma followed him into the living room where his guitar was leaning against the side of the chair he had been sitting in and sat down on the sofa while he went to the kitchen to get some drinks and a snack for the two of them. Noticing another guitar lying face-up on the couch beside her, she turned her head and curiously touched the strings with one finger, which made a quiet sound just as Will came back with a tray that had a plate of cookies and two glasses of juice on it.

"I see you found the other one," he said as he set the tray down on the coffee table, "that was the big reason why I invited you over. Since in one scene in the first act of the show Maria uses the guitar to teach the children to sing, I thought I'd give you some lessons. You'd probably learn fast if you practiced every day until rehearsals start." Emma was sure Will knew what he was doing, after all he himself had been playing for a very long time. Picking up the instrument in one hand, he sat beside Emma and set it in her lap, making sure it was in a comfortable position for her.

"Are you sure you want to teach me?" she asked.

"Of course," replied Will. "Let's get started."

* * *

><p>For the next little while, Will went on to teach Emma the simple things like right-hand strumming and fingerpicking on open strings (he would play a pattern on his own instrument and have her play it back) as well as showing her ways of keeping her hands nice and loose since playing, especially with the left hand, put a lot of strain on the wrists. He had told her it was good to take breaks every now and then so both hands could relax, and they did just that, enjoying the snacks that were sitting on the tray.<p>

"Now let's start bringing the left hand in," said Will as he sat back down beside her, "this is how you will be able to play notes and chords. It's a little tricky at first, but once you start getting comfortable with it you will find it to come easy. I'll guide you at first, and then we'll see if you can remember what I showed you, okay?" Emma nodded, and she felt her hand in Will's as he guided it to the neck of the instrument. She blushed a little, not letting him see what was going on, then felt her fingers being placed lightly on the strings before Will let go of her hand.

"That is an A chord," he explained, pointing towards the position her left hand was in. "Your fingers are on the strings now, but if you press down on them and then strum with your right hand starting on the second string from the top, you'll hear something different. Go on and try it." Nodding, she did what she was told: she pressed the strings down on the neck with her left hand and ran her right hand down the strings stretched across the sound hole, hearing a pleasant sound emerge. Emma smiled.

"I did it, Will," she said, an excited tone in her voice.

"That sounded great, Em," Will replied. Taking her hand again, he took her fingers off its previous position and put them in another, then let go again. "Try the E chord now, but when you play with your right hand, start with the very top string this time." Trying the new chord, she managed to play it quite well. Then she felt her hand being moved into a third position, which after Will let go again, explained it was the positioning to play a D chord. She tried it, and played it nicely.

"Here's a little tip for you," he said. "Try to adjust your left hand so none of your fingers accidentally covers the open strings. You'll get a nicer sound that way. So, how about we review what you've learned so far?"

* * *

><p>Time passed, and Emma thanked Will for the lesson before leaving to go back to her own apartment. He had let her borrow the instrument she had been practicing on packed in a soft case so it would be easier for her to carry, and had tucked in a few extra things to help her out – she would have to see them later once she was at home.<p>

_Maria is kind of like Will in a way,_ she thought as she drove through downtown Lima towards her apartment building, _teaching the Captain's children how to sing and to love music. It's amazing how I can connect that to the glee club that Will loves so much._ When she finally returned to her apartment, she unlocked the door and let herself in, placing the case gently on the sofa and unzipping it so she could practice a little more. When she picked up the instrument, she noticed what looked to be a DVD underneath, and curious as she was, she slipped it into the player and turned on the television. An image of Will appeared on the screen, she guessed that he might have done this video before she had come over because he was still wearing the same clothes.

_He must have planned this whole lesson all along, _she thought as she cradled the instrument in her arms.

"Hi Em," he said, his own guitar in his lap. "If you're seeing this, then you're ready for your next lesson. I'm going to teach you how to play the 'Do-Re-Mi' song for the scene I told you about, so follow my lead and I know you will do fine."

"Okay Will, I'm ready," Emma replied to his image.


	5. Let's Start At The Very Beginning

The Saturday after their music lesson together, Emma and Will arrived at the rehearsal space in downtown Lima where the rehearsals for the show would be held, the performance itself being at the Crouse Hall in almost a month's time where it would run for two weeks. Those who had made the cut for the principal roles, along with the six men and six women that made up the ensemble, all came on time much to the delight of the director, who was huddled in a corner with what looked to be the rest of the production team. Someone handed out scripts to everyone, each person's name on the front and their lines inside highlighted.

"Thanks again for the lessons," Emma said as she sat next to Will dressed in a pink T-shirt, black yoga pants and running shoes, "I found the video to be very helpful and I practiced as often as I could. I think I'm really getting better."

"Glad to hear that, Em," replied Will, picking a piece of fuzz off the New York Mets jersey he wore over gray cargo shorts with black skate shoes. "Keep it up, and by the time you rehearse that scene with the children you will be ready. By the way, did you ever stop and think that the Von Trapp family kind of reminds you of New Directions? The kids always keep telling me how you're like a mother figure to them, and Finn sort of sees me as a father."

"I was actually thinking that when I was driving home from our lesson," Emma said. "I'm more than likely Maria, you're the Captain after he's had his change of heart..."

"Rachel and Finn strike me as Liesl and Friedrich," Will added. "Quinn reminds me a bit of Louisa, Brittany has the childlike innocence of Gretl, Tina I think has the cuteness of Marta, Santana strikes me as having a bit of Brigitta's sauciness when she first meets Maria, and Kurt reminds me of..."

"Kurt!" they both replied at the same time, sending them into a fit of giggles. They often wondered how he got his name, and that was probably it. Finally, the director called everyone's attention, four men and two women lined up beside him. Another woman nearby was taking pictures.

"Good morning, and congratulations on earning a spot in the cast whether it's in a principal role or a member of the ensemble," the director said to enthusiastic applause. "We've got a lot of work to do over the next few weeks, but I promise you it's going to be worth it. Before we get started, there are a few people I would like to introduce to you – they're members of the creative team who will be working with me as well as you to make this production a successful one. The man standing next to me on my left is the assistant director, Michael Evans. Next to him is the musical director/conductor Brian Kelehan, he will also serve as pianist during rehearsals. Teresa Solomon is in charge of designing the costumes, after this rehearsal she wants you all to stay behind for a while so she can take measurements. She will be working in tandem with Kevin Pruitt, our set designer, so not only will you as cast members look great, the stage will look great too. Finally we have our stage managers Keith Allen and Desiree Heath, they will be running the show during dress rehearsals and performances when we move to Crouse Hall."

"Who's the lady taking pictures?" one of the ensemble members asked.

"That's Brianna Watson, who I hired as the production's still photographer," answered the director. "She's a professional photojournalist with the Lima News and other outlets in northwestern Ohio, she will be taking photos of the dress rehearsals as well as doing the cast head shots for the program. Now, let's get started with rehearsal."

* * *

><p>The first thing the cast did was a full physical warm-up led by Alana Scott, the choreographer, to get themselves loose. After that, they were split into three groups: Alana taking the children and the ensemble to learn some dance steps, Paul the director taking a group including Will to do some script reading, and finally Brian took a small group including Emma to rehearse some of the songs from the first act. Once the group leaders were satisfied with their progress, the cast would reconvene and a scene would be rehearsed. All the while, Brianna was taking candid shots of the rehearsals.<p>

"_The hills are alive with the sound of music..." _Emma sang as Brian played and the other people in their group watched. The iconic title song was Maria's first big number in the show and the audience's first impression of her character, so Emma did her best to put some of her own personality into the words. When she finished the song, the other group members applauded warmly.

"Emma, you have a very pure tone to your voice," said Brian as he critiqued her performance. "Remember to breathe every so often so you don't strain yourself when going for the sustained notes, other than that just give it everything you've got and go for it. That was really good for a first practice."

"Thank you," Emma replied shyly. She wondered if Will could give her any extra tips as she listened to the ladies playing the Mother Abbess and three of the nuns start practicing their first song.

* * *

><p>After a break, the cast reconvened as promised. Emma and Will sat back down next to each other and told about how they did in their groups. Since Will had heard her sing a couple of times before after hearing what the musical director said, he agreed with the critique and added a few more things to help her improve.<p>

"One of these days when we don't have full rehearsal," he suggested, "perhaps we could work on our own together. I bet we'd learn our lines a little faster."

"That sounds like a great idea," replied Emma. "Can we work at your place? It would be a better space to work because you've got a piano we can use to rehearse our songs." Will nodded in agreement.

"Makes me wonder if the glee kids will eventually find out," he mused. Emma nodded, and Paul the director spoke again.

"All right everyone," he said, "we are going to work on one of the major songs of the first act. Could I have Emma and the children up front, please?" A small box was placed on the floor with a guitar lying face up beside it, it could only mean one thing.

"Remember what you learned from the video," Will said as Emma got up to join the seven young actors playing the children with her script in her hand, "go get them!" She sat on the box as the kids sat on the floor facing her. The scene was as they were out and about in the city, Maria decides to teach the children how to sing. Emma quietly picked up the instrument and set it in her lap, remembering the starting chord from Will's video that she had played at least three times a day to completely get it right. A hush fell over the rest of the cast as the song started.

_(Emma) Let's start at the very beginning  
>A very good place to start<br>When you read you begin with_

_A-B-C_ said Caitlyn, the little girl playing Gretl.

_(Emma) When you sing you begin with do-re-mi_

_(Children) Do-re-mi_

_(Emma) Do-re-mi  
>The first three notes just happen to be<br>Do-re-mi_

_(Children) Do-re-mi_

_(Emma)_ _Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti... _"Let's see if I can make this easy." Now she started to play full on as the piano quietly joined her.

_Doe, a deer, a female deer  
>Ray, a drop of golden sun<br>Me, a name I call myself  
>Far, a long, long way to run<br>Sew, a needle pulling thread  
>La, a note to follow Sew<br>Tea, a drink with jam and bread  
>That will bring us back to Do, oh oh oh...<em>

The children shouted back the first parts of the first repeat while Emma sang them and put the instrument down a short beat later. Then they all sang it together as the kids went through the choreography that Alana had taught them earlier before going through the second repeat at full force.

_Doe, a deer, a female deer  
>Ray, a drop of golden sun<br>Me, a name I call myself  
>Far, a long, long way to run<br>Sew, a needle pulling thread  
>La, a note to follow Sew<br>Tea, a drink with jam and bread  
>That will bring us back to Do<em>

_(Emma) Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do  
>So-do!<em>


	6. What True Love Feels Like

"_Makes me wonder if the glee kids will eventually find out..."_

A couple of weeks had passed since that first rehearsal, and the performance was sneaking up ever closer with tickets having already gone on sale. Will had wondered if the kids would eventually find out about him and Emma being in the show, and as it happened word would start to get around thanks to Kurt Hummel, who was meeting his boyfriend Blaine Anderson one afternoon at their favorite hangout, the Lima Bean.

"So, do you have any plans before you head back to school?" asked Kurt as he sipped his latte. He knew Blaine was contemplating transferring to McKinley High so he could be closer to him, and wondered if it would come to fruition.

"Yeah, I guess you can say I kind of have plans," Blaine replied. "A community production of _The Sound of Music_ is starting on August 15 at the Crouse Hall and my family and I are all going to see it on opening night. My little cousin Melissa is in it, she is playing Marta. She told me herself when I visited her in Lima a few days ago, she had so many stories of what has been going on."

"What kind of stories?" Kurt asked. The show was one of his favorite musicals of all time aside from _Wicked_, he went to the sing-along version of the film every year.

"Well," replied Blaine, "mostly stories of all the people she's met and the songs she gets to sing. She says the rest of the people playing the children are really nice and they're having a lot of fun. But most of all she likes the two people who are playing the Captain and Maria, she says Will, who plays the Captain, is always singing songs with the kids before rehearsals, and Emma, who plays Maria, gives the best hugs." All of a sudden, Kurt's eyes widened.

"Hold on a second," he said, "you said the leads' names were Will and Emma?"

"I did say that," replied Blaine.

"Holy Elphaba," exclaimed Kurt, "I know who they are! Emma has to be Miss Pillsbury, one of the guidance counselors at school, and Will for sure is Mr. Schuester, our glee director. I knew Mr. Schue was the type to get the role of the Captain, but Miss Pillsbury I never expected to be in a production of this scale. It's incredible."

"If they're your teachers," said Blaine, "then for sure you and the rest of your club have to support them. Why don't you tell the others and get some tickets for opening night? I'm sure all of you can take some time out from whatever you've been up to lately to cheer on two people that have meant a lot to you, just like what you mean to me."

"Blaine, you are a genius," said Kurt. "But I think we should keep our presence a surprise to them." Quickly whipping out his cell phone out of his messenger bag, he went through his address book till he found Mercedes' number and dialled it. Her voice came on the other end a short time later.

"Mercedes, it's Kurt," he said. "You won't believe what I just heard."

* * *

><p>At the very same time that Kurt was calling Mercedes to spread the word to the other glee kids about Will and Emma's presence in the show, the two adults, along with the rest of the cast, were well into another rehearsal. They were already doing the second act, and in a few days they would move into Crouse Hall for the final dress rehearsals. Teresa and her team were putting the last touches on the costumes and had instructed the cast to stay behind after it wrapped up so they could do proper fittings. At this rehearsal, after doing the three-group practice they had become accustomed to, Emma and Will were called up front to rehearse their big scene where the Captain and Maria confess their love to one another in both scripted moments and a love duet.<p>

"Now you two," said Paul, "I want you to show us what true love is like. We'll start from the part where the Captain asks Maria why she decided to come back." Emma and Will sat down on the bench that was placed on the floor and began the scene.

" _**You know, I was thinking and I was wondering ... two things. Why did you run away to the Abbey? And what was it that made you come back?" **_Will said.

"_Well, I had an obligation to fulfill and I - I came back to fulfill it."_ Emma read.

"_**Mm. Is that all?"**_

"_And I missed the children."_

"_**Yes. Uh, uh, only the children?"**_

"_No. Yes! Isn't it right I should have missed them?"_

"_**Oh, yes, yes, of course! I was, uh, only hoping that perhaps you... perhaps you might, uh ..."**_

"_Yes?"_

"_**Well, uh, nothing was the same when you were away and it'll be wrong again after you leave. And I just thought perhaps you might, uh ... change your mind?"**_

At that point, Emma studied Will's face, then got up from the bench and began to take a few steps forward.

"_Well, I'm sure the Baroness will be able to make things fine for you."_

"_**Maria?" **_Will read. _**"There isn't going to be any Baroness."**_

"_There isn't?"_

Will then walked past her and stopped at a certain point. Emma followed.

"_**No."**_

"_I don't understand."_

"_**Well, we've, um ... called off our engagement, you see, and, um..."**_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_**Yes. You are?"**_

"_Mm hmm. You did?"_

"_**Yes. Well, you can't marry someone when you're in love with someone else, can you?"**_ Emma shook her head, then felt Will pull her close to him and kiss her, eliciting some whoops from some of the cast members. Emma then put her head on Will's shoulder lovingly.

"_Reverend Mother always says, "When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window."_

"_**What else does the Reverend Mother say?"**_

"_That you have to look for your life."_

"_**Is that why you came back?"**_ Will read. Emma nodded yes. _**"And have you found it, Maria?"**_

"_I think I have. I know I have."_

"_**I love you."**_

"_Oh, can this be happening to me?"_ The piano started, and as Emma looked into Will's green eyes, she began to sing.

_(E) Perhaps I had a wicked childhood  
>Perhaps I had a miserable youth<br>But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past  
>There must have been a moment of truth<em>

_For here you are, standing there, loving me  
>Whether or not you should<br>So somewhere in my youth or childhood  
>I must have done something good<em>

_Nothing comes from nothing  
>Nothing ever could<br>So somewhere in my youth or childhood  
>I must have done something good<em>

"_**Do you know when I first started loving you?"**_ Will said._** "That night at the dinner table when you sat on that ridiculous pine cone." **_He laughed gently.

"_What?"_ Emma replied, then laughed as well. _"I knew the first time you blew that silly whistle."_

"_**Oh, my love," **_said Will, and then he started singing.

_(W) For here you are, standing there, loving me  
>Whether or not you should<em>

_(E) So somewhere in my youth or childhood  
>I must have done something good<em>

_(W/E) Nothing comes from nothing  
>Nothing ever could<em>

_(E) So somewhere in my youth_

_(W) Or childhood_

_(E) I must have done something ..._

_(E/W) Something good._

Finishing the scene with a kiss, the rest of the cast applauded wildly.

"Now that," said Paul, "is the definition of true love!" Emma and Will both smiled at his compliment.


	7. Opening Night

After weeks of rehearsals, costume fittings, photoshoots and publicity, the day had finally come for the show's opening night. The performance was completely sold out and families and friends of the performers as well as members of the local media would be on hand to watch, and as a steady stream of people entered Crouse Hall they were eager to see just how far the cast and crew had come over the course of the past month.

Among them were the members of New Directions, along with Shannon Beiste. When Kurt and Mercedes spread the word about their teachers being involved, everyone had agreed to come to opening night and support them. Everyone had pooled their money together, and Kurt bought the tickets, ending up with very good seats that included a wheelchair spot for Artie. So on the night, the kids all wore their best clothes: suits for the guys and dresses for the girls. Even Shannon looked very good, dressed in a black pantsuit with a red blouse underneath. After getting their tickets torn and receiving their programs, the group stood in the lobby outside the auditorium doors waiting for the ushers to let the audience in.

"Hey, you made it!" Blaine exclaimed as he saw the McKinley kids nearby, his family and assorted relatives standing with him. "New Directions, meet the Anderson clan. Mom, Dad, you know Kurt already, I'd like you to meet his friends in the glee club he's in. They're here to support their teachers who are playing the leads in the show." There were handshakes all around as the kids exchanged greetings with Blaine's family. All of a sudden, an all too familiar voice chimed in, and heads turned to see who it belonged to.

"Well, what do we have here," said Sue, actually dressed in something other than a tracksuit. "Shannon and the Singalongs."

"Coach Sylvester, what are you doing here?" Quinn asked. "If you're here to ruin this night for Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury..."

"Relax, Q," the Cheerio coach said, "I'm mainly here because this was one of my sister's favourite musicals and I owed it to myself to be here. I had no idea that those two were in the show until I saw the program, so for one night I'm not going to make a dig at William's ridiculous hair or at one of Irma's many shortcomings."

"That's _Emma_, Sue," said Shannon. "And Will has great hair. Enjoy the show by the way." Without a word, Sue turned and walked away as Shannon and the kids turned their attention back to Blaine and his family.

"What was that all about?" Blaine asked.

"Despite her being a despicable woman on the outside," said Mercedes, "I think that Ms. Sylvester actually likes Mr. Schue and Miss P, but she doesn't actually show it. Whatever, I'm here to have a good time." The rest of the group agreed.

* * *

><p>As the audience was beginning to be let in, backstage was a hive of activity. In her dressing room, Emma quietly put on her makeup as Kathryn, the lady who played the Baroness, stood behind her and wove her long red hair into a French braid, leaving a bit of fringe in front.<p>

"You have the most amazing hair," Kathryn said. "I can tell because it's been easy for me to style it for you, you obviously take good care of it." She tucked the braid underneath with hairpins and sprayed it to give it extra hold.

"Thanks," Emma replied as she put her tube of lipstick down on the counter and picked a piece of fluff of the plain white sleeveless cotton dress that she would be wearing under her costumes. A small belt was cinched across her waist with a transmitter pack clipped to the back, the cord running up the back of her dress and a small flesh-colored radio microphone hooked over her right ear, sitting just at her right temple. The production team had contracted an outside sound company from Columbus to help out, and they had provided the microphones and an extra sound console for the occasion.

"You know what?" Kathryn said. "You and Will work wonderfully together as the leads, you both have incredible chemistry. I would say that you two are crazy for each other in real life."

"You could say that," said Emma with a small smile as she got up and started to put on her first costume: a simple black dress with a white apron over it, Kathryn tying the apron's strings into a bow at the back.

* * *

><p>Will put the guitar down in his dressing room, having finished his vocal warm-ups, and adjusted the microphone that was sitting over his right ear before running a brush through his curls, already dressed in his first costume. He was happy with the way the dress rehearsals had gone and was looking forward to this opening performance. David, the actor playing Max, sat down at the space next to him and began to slick back his dark hair into a 1930s style.<p>

"So you run the glee club at McKinley High?" David asked. "And you were actually part of it when you were a student there? No wonder Paul picked you for the male lead, it's as if there was no competition – you're incredibly talented. Everyone could see that."

"Yes, yes, and thank you for the compliment," replied Will, putting down his brush and reaching for a compact of pressed powder, brushing it over his face. "I love being a teacher, the kids mean so much to me and I want to do everything possible to help them succeed. We actually made it to our first national show choir competition as a group in New York and finished in the top fifteen – we ended up twelfth."

"Twelfth out of fifty on your first try, that's amazing," said David. "Hopefully next time you end up going all the way, I've heard your glee club is really good."

"I hope we can make it back to nationals," Will said, "and it's good that we have some incredible people on our side like Emma and Shannon supporting us. They're like our two biggest cheerleaders."

"Well, from the way you interact with Emma as your leading lady," David said, "I can tell that there's more to that. I actually think that both of you are made for each other." Hearing that made Will blush slightly, even he knew David was right.

* * *

><p>"Ready, Em?" Will asked quietly as he stood beside her in the wings on stage right, the set for the first scene already on stage. The call had come from the stage manager some time later for places, and on both sides of the stage the wings were filling up with cast members. Will wasn't set to come on for a couple of scenes, but naturally he wanted to be there to support his best friend.<p>

"As ready as I'll ever be," replied Emma. Between the group rehearsals, she and Will had been practicing on their own at his apartment to go over their songs and dialogue. He accompanied her on piano for her solos, and when they were doing a song together they sang along to a CD copy of the movie soundtrack. They had also rehearsed their second act love scene many times, and even Emma knew that any girl would be lucky to have Will as their leading man – but somehow, her heart was telling her that he was definitely the one for her.

A hush fell over the assembled cast as the work lights dimmed and the stage went dark, Will giving Emma a quick kiss for luck. The orchestra began to play the overture, the familiar music filling the auditorium and raising the hairs on the arms of those gathered in the wings – it was finally time to show the audience how hard they had been working. The curtain rose, the lights on stage came up to reveal the set, and right on her cue Emma ran out for her entrance. She twirled around twice with her arms stretched out wide, then began to sing the famous title song.

_The hills are alive with the sound of music  
>With songs they have sung for a thousand years<br>The hills fill my heart with the sound of music  
>My heart wants to sing every song it hears<em>

_My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds  
>That rise from the lake to the trees<br>My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies  
>From a church on a breeze<br>To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls  
>Over stones on its way<br>To sing through the night  
>Like a lark who is learning to pray<em>

_I go to the hills when my heart is lonely  
>I know I will hear what I've heard before<br>My heart will be blessed with the sound of music  
>And I'll sing once more...<em>


	8. After Party

"Bravo!" Kurt exclaimed as the last note of the finale music played and the curtain came down. He had been the very first person on his feet, and soon others joined him until the entire auditorium of Crouse Hall was standing and applauding. The orchestra began to play the music for the curtain call just as the curtain rose again for the cast to take their bows. First was the ensemble, some dressed as soldiers with others dressed as nuns or townspeople. Following them came Patricia, Sarah, Marie and Elena, the four women playing the Mother Abbess and the three main nuns. Christopher, who played main antagonist Herr Zeller, took a solo bow before giving the stage to Kathryn and David.

The crowd grew louder and clapped along with the rhythm of the music as Sierra, who played Liesl, took her bow with Kyle, who played Rolf. After them were the three youngest children with Melissa in the middle, and Blaine gave her a huge cheer for his cousin from where he was standing on the other side of the aisle that separated his family from the New Directions members. They were followed by the next three children, and then the cast on stage parted to either side as Will and Emma walked out from opposite ends of the stage. Holding hands, they walked through the rest of the applauding cast members and stood in front of them, taking a bow together as the crowd cheered loudly for the two leads. In the audience, the glee kids were going wild with pride, Rachel wiped a tear from her eye, Artie whistled through his teeth and the rest of them shouted encouragements. Emma took a solo bow, followed by Will, and they were then joined by the rest of the cast for a group bow. Finally, Melissa and Caitlyn disappeared off stage for a second, then re-appeared each with a bouquet of flowers in their arms, giving them to Emma and Will. The two bent down and kissed the children before standing up again as the music stopped. After the director addressed the audience, who invited them to help celebrate at the after party in the convention hall, the curtain came down.

"Em, you were fantastic!" Will exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her in the backstage corridor after the cast filed off stage to get ready for the after party. "Did you hear the audience cheering for you at the end? I am so proud of you!"

"You were pretty amazing yourself," said Emma, ruffling her free hand through his curly hair. "You're the most talented man I know. I hope you're not kicking yourself over turning down April's offer to star with her on Broadway."

"I'm not, actually," he replied. "Like I said, she understood my reasons. Just getting to stand on a Broadway stage and sing in the spotlight alone, then have the theater security person tell me that I had talent was enough for me. I had my dream, and now I have new ones – helping the glee kids get back to nationals and win with some of them graduating next school year is one of them."

"And what is another one of your dreams?" Emma asked. All of a sudden, she felt Will holding her close and kissing her just like they did in their love scene on stage. But this time, it felt real.

It looked like Emma's question had been answered.

* * *

><p>The after party was in full swing in the convention hall some time later as cast and crew mingled with audience members, family and friends. There was food and drinks on several long tables, music was being played on a stereo system where two crew members were singing karaoke and local media was making its rounds, currently talking with the director. Emma took a bottle of water off the drink table, looking pretty in a strapless magenta silk dress, her hair unwound from its braid and now falling in gentle waves, her makeup a little more understated from what she wore onstage. Will stood at her side, handsome as ever in a black suit with a white shirt and magenta tie to match Emma's dress. They had left their flower bouquets in their dressing rooms ready for a night of celebrating a wonderful opening performance.<p>

"Do you know," said Will, "the first time I really fell in love with you in real life? I tripped over that horrid wedding dress of your cousin's while giving you those dance lessons and you fell right on top of me." He laughed, which made Emma laugh too.

"Of course, I remember that – back when I was engaged to Ken," she replied. "For me, it would have to be when I stepped in gum in the courtyard just after you revived the glee club and you used one of your credit cards to scrape it off my shoe." Will smiled. If it hadn't been for Emma's advice, not to mention the talent of the glee kids, then he wouldn't be as happy as he was now. He leaned over to kiss her again, but stopped when he heard a familiar voice nearby.

"Hey, I hope you brought enough for everybody," said Shannon's voice behind them, and they turned to see her and the glee kids staring back at them with smiles on their faces. Brittany and Tina were each holding a large bouquet of colorful flowers, who presented them to their teachers.

"Guys, what are you doing here?" Will asked. "I thought you'd all be busy with your own summer plans!"

"When we heard that you and Miss Pillsbury were doing this show," said Rachel, "we just had to come and cheer you on, Mercedes told us who heard it from Kurt. You two were absolutely incredible."

"And I heard it from Blaine," Kurt added, "his cousin Melissa plays Marta and he told me everything." He saw his boyfriend nearby with his family along with Melissa and her family and gave him a wink.

"The love scene in the second act was very romantic," Quinn said. "Puck nearly called out 'Get some, Pillsbury' the first time you kissed, but I socked him in the arm to keep him quiet."

"And I have the red mark to prove it," Puck said as he comically rubbed his arm, sending everyone into fits of laughter, not noticing Sue walking past and giving the group a look, especially at Emma and Will. All of a sudden, the sound of a fork clinking against a glass filled the room and everyone turned towards the small stage by the DJ's booth, the director obviously having something to say to the assembled crowd.

"Hi," said Paul, "can I have your attention for a moment?" The crowd quieted down. "Thank you. I just want to say to those who are here and have come to support family, friends and other people you may know in the cast thank you. Your enthusiasm and support absolutely motivated our actors and I know that they thank you too." He applauded, and others soon followed, Shannon putting her arm around Will's shoulder and him smiling back.

"To my incredible cast," Paul continued, "you have worked so hard over such a short period of time and the amount of dedication, talent and determination all came together tonight in a fantastic opening performance. I hope that you keep it up over the next thirteen performances and remember this experience for many years to come." More applause followed. Just then, someone who was on the crew rushed into the convention hall, a stack of late-edition newspapers under one arm.

"The first reviews are in!" A murmur ran through the crowd as people ran over to collect a copy, and it was Finn that secured one for the glee group. Flipping to the arts and entertainment section, he found what he was looking for and began to read aloud, the others getting in closer to listen.

* * *

><p><em>I was fortunate enough to attend the opening night performance of the classic musical "The Sound of Music" at Crouse Hall, and I wasn't disappointed. Director Paul Chapman and his team assembled a talent-laden cast of Lima locals who acted and sang brilliantly backed by Rodgers and Hammerstein's timeless score performed by a 20-piece orchestra under the baton of musical director Brian Kelehan. Artful lighting by the Crouse Hall technical staff, beautifully done sets by Kevin Pruitt and Teresa Solomon's costumes added to the effect of the story set in Austria before the start of World War II.<em>

_Among the standouts in the cast are Kathryn Ellis and David Martin as the classy Baroness Elsa Schraeder and the talent seeker Max Detweiler, who both interpreted their parts with professionalism. Patricia Everett's portrayal of the Mother Abbess was impressive, making her signature song "Climb Every Mountain" her own, backed by Sarah Thomas, Elena Martinez and Marie Preston as three of the Abbey nuns. Christopher Emery's deliciously wicked Herr Zeller and Kyle Jacobs' messenger-boy-turned-soldier/love interest of eldest Von Trapp daughter Liesl (played by 17-year-old Sierra McCarthy) Rolf provided great drama in the climatic scenes of the second act._

_McCarthy, along with Jason Brown (15), Natasha Lang (13), Brandon Miller (11), Jennifer Lane (10), Melissa Anderson (8) and Caitlyn Wescott (5) were superb as the Von Trapp children. Each showing the personalities of their characters, they shone with innocence and wonder, a group of young people who only wanted to be loved by their father until their new governess came into their lives._

_My biggest praise is saved for the two leads: Captain Von Trapp and Maria, portrayed by McKinley High School faculty members Will Schuester and Emma Pillsbury. They were truly made for these roles, showing amazing chemistry and playing off of each other in their scenes together beautifully. Pillsbury's portrayal of Maria reminded me so much of Julie Andrews' performance in the 1965 film version: innocent, sweet and caring with a lovely soprano voice to match. Schuester, as the Captain, delivered an incredible performance, especially midway through the first act when the character has his change of heart towards the children and the presence of music. Delivering the role with great emotion, it is especially apparent when he sings – his sweeping tenor hitting all the right notes during his signature song "Edelweiss". Both he and Pillsbury are strong, gifted performers and should be given a standing ovation for their efforts._

_All in all, this was an enjoyable way to spend an evening – it truly was one of my favorite things. The show runs until August 29 at Crouse Hall._

* * *

><p>"You're a hit!" Rachel exclaimed to Emma and Will after Finn finished reading the review. "Mr. Schue, we've got to get you to perform more often when glee starts again – maybe you and Miss Pillsbury can do a duet one day." She was so happy that she ran over and embraced both of her teachers, then went back to celebrate with the rest of the glee kids.<p>

"Will, I'm so happy that you convinced me to do this," Emma said, a tear falling from her eye.

"I'm happy too," Will replied, a huge smile on his face.

"Do you want to know something else?" Emma asked.

"What?" Will said, and this time he saw Emma lean in towards him and kiss him softly on the lips.

"I love you," she said simply.


End file.
